Evil Nimrod

There is a reference to Nimrod at the end of Parshat Noach, and again in Parshat Lech Lecha. In the latter Parsha, he is referred to as Amraphel, the king of Shinar.

Nimrod or Amraphel, was ultimately killed by Avraham Avinu, in the war he fought, to save Lot. But his relationship with Nimrod, began before his birth.

Nimrod was an evil man who ruled the world. He convinced the masses that he was god, and all idols were a means towards worshipping him. He was heavily involved with witchcraft and sorcery.

Just before Avraham’s birth, his advisors told him that a baby would be born who will one day expose him as a fraud, and would ultimately kill him.

Avraham’s father, Terach, was very close to Nimrod, and being that his wife was about to give birth, he assumed his son was the savior. Terach was also very evil, but he did not want his son killed. Instead, he gave Nimrod the baby of a maid servant, who was killed instead of Avraham.

At the age of three, Avraham began pondering the universe. He realized that there had to be a G-d that ruled the world. He confronted Nimrod when he was forty-eight years old, and received Divine assistance in challenging the demagogue. After being thrown into the fiery furnace for three days, it was clear to all, that Avraham was a great man. Nimrod’s son, Eliezer, agreed to be his faithful servant.

When Avraham was in Israel for ten years, he needed to rescue Lot. As fate would have it, he and Eliezer, killed the tyrant.

All of this information is found in the Meam Loez. Avraham succeeded in destroying evil incarnate. Now it is the responsibility of his children, to do the same.